28 May 2012

Fresh Meat Monday - North American War



Would you like to introduce yourself. 

We are a band called North American War. We are based in Glasgow but originally we come from all over: Anna (voc/guitar) is from California and Germany, Paul (bass) and Frew (drums) are from Glasgow, Jodi is from Sheffield


How would you describe the music you make:

Frew: Abrasive and melodic

Jodi: The opposite, I'd say

Anna: tense



How did you start making music?

Anna: It was Paul's first shift at the bar that I worked at. He came in and promptly started insulting me. He was incredibly loud and obnoxious, and I thought: who is this idiot? Then he suggested we do a band of WWII covers. I didn't actually expect him to show up at my house the next day. He did. 

Paul: I thought Anna looked like Anne Frank and started bullying her. After we had a few songs we got together a full band line-up. On drums I got my friend Frew who hadn't been talking to me since I was last in a band with him.

Anna: Jodi took over for Michael last summer, though it kind of feels like he's been in the band all along--- not only because Jodi is an old friend, but also because we had previously been on a US tour with him and his band Fur Hood. 


What process goes into the way you write songs?

Paul: Crying

Jodi: That's true

Frew: Trial and error; collaboration

Paul: Cllaboration. 

Anna: Every other song is hell to create, in part  because of the weird structures of our songs.


What can people expect from your live shows?
 
Anna: I've generally noticed that we're a lot noisier and heavier than people who have only heard our recordings expect. 

Frew: Energy, from me anyway. 


What are you listening to at the moment?

Anna: Yoshi Wada's 'The Appointed Cloud'  is something I listen to almost every day. Yoshi Wada is a sound installation artist from the New York fluxus movement of the 1970s and 'The Appointed Cloud' is an hour long, drone-y piece created out of homemade pipe instruments that sound a bit like bagpipes. I don't listen to much drone but this is incredible. I've also recently gotten into this  this Japanese rock opera by J.A.Caeser, The Index, Cambodian Rocks and I also listen to a lot of old  pop like the Beach Boys, Lee Hazelwood and Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg.

Paul: Lee Hazelwood, La Sera, Roy Orbison, Dinosaur Jr. and Holy Mountain – which is one of the best recorded thing I’ve heard in ages. Also this week I found out about a band called Grand Theft, they are from Detroit, around 1971. The sound is proto metal/punk in the spirit of the MC5 but funnier.


What can we expect to see/hear from you in the future?

Anna: We have a 7” coming out May 30th   as the precursor to an album we plan to release in the Fall. We will be doing a bit of touring. Below are some of our dates. We will probably be heading down to London and Brighton at some point this summer as well..


This Is The Organisation




Tour Dates
2nd June - Manchester, Kraak. Jubilee All Dayer  
3rd June - Leeds, Wharf Chambers w/ Palms, Beards and D. Millard  
5th June - Glasgow, Captain's Rest w/ Cloud Nothings  
21st June- Glasgow, 7" launch, The Old Hairdressers
26th August - Doune, Doune the Rabbit Hole Festival




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